Target locked?
Today was a very inspiring day. I feel like it was the beginning of something for me…almost like a turning point.
The African American Forum at work held a lunch with one of the (African American) partners. It was mostly a town hall of the issues we face as Black people at the company. He was noting them down to take back to some place where senior leadership goes to discuss things.
For me, I feel like a lot of the issues that were discussed were not specific to us, it seemed like it was just general problems that come with being away from the mothership in DC or just not having a firm grounding on what the company culture is….which is hard to get when you’re hired and thrown on a project as they tend to do here.
What I did get out of it though is that while client work is very important, it’s easy to forget that you work for an actual company FIRST. Not from a “who do I report to” way but in a “don’t forget about your position at the company”. It’s easy to only think of your career in the microcosm of your client.
At the client, I’m a superstar.
At the company, people know me by my name or by my work, but not by me as a person.
And people knowing you by YOU as a person is what makes the difference in your advancement.
That said, today I made a couple of connections.
One who is 2 levels above me, a Black woman, and a Soror. We’re going to meet up soon to talk about opportunities in Atlanta from the non-client point of view.
Another is 4 levels above me, a Black man, and a comeback kid who started out at the company in the 90’s. He’s agreed to take me on as a mentee, hopefully in helping to develop me to achieve a goal I’m tossing around in my mind…
Senior Associate –> Principal –> Partner… honing the capability of Human Factors across multiple sectors.
Not just Cognitive Ergonomics like I do now (UX and such), but Physical, Organizational, or Environmental Ergonomics, Anthropometry, Industrial Design…everything involving the psychology of design.
It’s a HUGE goal and I don’t know if it’s just the afterglow of going to meetings like the ones I attended today, but for some reason I’m just really excited right now that this could be my future.
Maybe the first Black female partner at [insert company here]?
…actually would be kind of sad if that didn’t happen for someone else within the next 10 years…
Or maybe A female Black partner at [insert company here] where the capability I lead is Human Factors.
I’m almost afraid to say it out loud…I do tend to achieve goals I set for myself in this vein.
A little bit more exploratory research into this I think…but I’m thinking…
